The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) election committee, headed by Atty. Teodoro Alejandro Kalaw IV, is nearing a decision regarding the protests filed by the camps of incumbent POC President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and his challenger, Joaquin “Chito” Loyzaga. The committee, which convened for a clarificatory hearing at the Century Park Hotel on Tuesday, November 19, gave both parties until noon this Saturday to submit their summations after hearing arguments on various disqualification petitions.
According to Kalaw, the committee will review these submissions to determine the merits of the protests. However, he did not specify a timeline for when the committee would issue a ruling. The hearing saw the presentation of at least four petitions for disqualification, with both Tolentino and Loyzaga in attendance, along with their respective teams of candidates for POC board positions.
Tolentino’s group included candidates for various positions, such as Alvin Aguilar (wrestling), Alexander “Ali” Sulit (judo), and Leah Jalandoni Gonzales (fencing), alongside POC Secretary General Atty. Wharton Chan and Legal Head Atty. Billy Sumagui. Loyzaga’s camp was represented by Robert Bachmann (squash), Freddie Jalasco (wushu), and Rommel Miranda (kurash), with gymnastics deputy secretary general Rowena Bautista Eusuya also present.
Atty. Lean Carlo Macoto of the Aranas Cruz Araneta Parker and Faustino Law firm presented some of the arguments from Loyzaga’s team but left the proceedings early, with Jalasco and Eusuya remaining to represent their group. During the session, Jose Ponciano Malonzo of Vovinam also withdrew his protest against Bachmann’s qualification for second vice president.
Tolentino, who refrained from commenting on the proceedings, reiterated that the “POC election procedures must be followed” to ensure a fair and transparent election process. The third member of the election committee, Rev. Fr. Napoleon Encarnacion, O.P., was excused from the hearing.
The upcoming POC elections, scheduled for November 29 at East Ocean Seafood Restaurant, will involve 61 voting members. These members will elect the POC president, first and second vice presidents, treasurer, auditor, and five members of the executive board.
